Judge Judy encourages Americans, slams Madoff

Viewers have learned that television’s no-nonsense Judge Judy cuts through the bull and gets to the heart of the matter. On Monday night’s “Larry King Live,” Judge Judy turned her sharp legal mind to matters of the economy, sharing why she thinks Americans have what it takes to navigate the hard months ahead. And she also has some advice for President Obama and sharp-worded assessments of Bernie Madoff and AIG bonuses.

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Iran’s Khatami won’t run for president, state news agency says

Iran’s moderate former president will not challenge President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the upcoming presidential election, the state-run Fars news agency said Monday. Mohammad Khatami said last month that he would run in June, ending weeks of speculation, the state-run IRNA news agency reported February 8. But he now says he will instead support moderate candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi, Fars reported Monday

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A Gay Marriage Solution: End Marriage?

When a Jewish boy turns 13, he heads to a temple for a deeply meaningful rite of passage, his bar mitzvah. When a Catholic girl reaches about the same age, she stands in front of the local bishop, who touches her forehead with holy oil as she is confirmed into a 2,000-year-old faith tradition.

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Army desertions hurting Mexico’s war on drugs

In the face of spiraling drug violence that has shaken the country, the Mexican army has taken a lead role in attempting to thwart the narcotraffickers. But its ability to do so has been hurt by a large number of desertions, government officials say. At present, some 40,000 forces are deployed throughout the nation against the traffickers, according to the secretary of defense

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Another By-Product of the Recession: A Flood of Ex-Convicts

In 2000, when Glenn Martin was leaving prison in upstate Attica, New York, after serving six years for robbery, the correctional officer thanked him in a way he’d never forget: “He said my being there helped pay for his boat, and that when my son came there he would help pay for his son’s boat.” As cruel and obnoxious as the comment was, it was a reasonable expectation.

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